Nicol: I’ll slay ‘the beast’

Squash great Peter Nicol has promised fans a humdinger when he takes on John White on the showcourt at the Bermuda Squash Racquets Association tomorrow.

The former World No1, World Champion and Commonwealth gold medallist — two singles and two doubles — arrived on the island Wednesday night ahead of the exhibition match, which headlines this week’s Axis Squash Challenge team event.

White, himself, is a former World No1 and Nicol, 40, says he is eager to continue their enduring rivalry.

He told the Bermuda Sun: “Coming here, I’ll have played yesterday and today and come Saturday I’ll be flying.

“I can’t wait for the game. Whitey is the most fun person ever to play and we always have great matches. We played four weeks ago in Israel and I managed to beat him 3-2, 12-10 in the fifth, so you can expect some more of that. We have fun but, of course, we want to win.

“From the very first time it’s been a great match-up because I’m kind of a straight guy, run around a lot and counter, and he’s just a beast. 

“He hits the ball 150 mph, has all the shots and he’s funny — you just play off him and let him go. And beat him, hopefully!”

The Axis Squash Challenge finals get under way at 5pm and are followed by a women’s exhibition game between Aisling Blake, the current Ireland national champion with a world ranking high of 22, and Kasey Brown, the Australian number one and a Commonwealth Games gold medallist.

British duo Nicol and White, who turns 40 tomorrow, then take to the floor. “It should be a great atmosphere,” said Nicol.

“I don’t think I’ve ever played on the showcourt. Whenever I’ve come here before I’ve played on the glass courts because of my ranking. 

“I always came and watched the guys play here and thought what a great atmosphere because I love this old school court. I’m looking forward to it.”

He added: “This is a proper squash club — it’s great. Even with the air con on it’s going to be hot. 

“It’ll be fun but we both want to win — he’ll probably look less like that than me but he’s the same.”

The club are putting in extra seats for the Saturday line-up and will also be showing the exhibition matches live on TVs in the bar.

Nicol, who spent a cumulative total of five years as the top player in the world and whose own period of dominance ended that of another of the game’s legends, Pakistan’s Jansher Khan, believes adding an exhibition clash to the corporate team event is the perfect set-up.

He said: “It’s great that the whole thing leading up to it is the team tournament. It’s an integral part of something like this. 

“This is about a whole week of squash, it’s about engaging with people, as then they can see this at the end. 

“We’re part of their event and it’s wonderful they’re incorporating it at the end.”

Nicol has travelled extensively promoting the game and soon moves to New York to coach for year.

 He praised Bermuda Squash Racquets Association director of squash Patrick Foster for the work being done on the island.

He said: “It’s awesome. I did this thing called the seven continent challenge where I went around the world in seven days and played seven matches in different continents.

“And the thing that brought home to me is that squash is global.

“There are pockets of communities all around the world and as long as there is someone making that happen, as Patrick is doing here, really enthusing people and creating team events like the one that takes place this week and finishes with us coming in.

“You land and you just see all these enthusiasts who just want to see good squash, play good squash and learn.

“So it’s a really exciting thing for me to still be able to do this at 40, retired for seven years, and be asked to do it. To make a difference is exciting.”

For more information go to www.bermudasquash.